Mobile communication devices may use Universal Integrated Circuit Cards (UICCs), also referred to as subscriber identity modules (SIMs), to authenticate themselves to a wireless carrier network operated by a mobile network operator (MNO) in order to receive communication services from the wireless carrier network. A UICC may be an integrated circuit chip that stores information that uniquely identifies the UICC, as well as information for accessing the wireless carrier network. Such information may include an integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID), an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) number, security authentication information, a MNO profile that enables the UICC to authenticate with the wireless carrier network, as well as other information.
A conventional UICC or SIM is specific to one carrier network and is hardwired to hold only the operator profile of the carrier network. For a mobile device using a conventional UICC to access a different carrier network, the user of the mobile device has to physically swap out the UICC for another UICC in order to access that different carrier network.
Embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC), also referred to as embedded subscriber identification module (eSIM) is fast becoming an industry standard. Unlike a conventional UICC or SIM, an eSIM or eUICC is an embedded SIM chip. Since an eSIM cannot be removed and the FTC considers locking an eSIM to only one carrier (MNO) to be an antitrust violation, an eSIM is required to accommodate multiple MNO profiles, including those for accessing different carrier networks and for different users. Consequently, an eSIM or eUICC can download new MNO profiles and remove MNO profiles that are no longer needed. Each MNO profile is downloaded from a subscription manager (SM), which generates or prepares MNO profiles and securely delivers the MNO profiles to subscribing mobile devices.
Similar to a UICC, Each eUICC or eSIM may store information that uniquely identifies the eUICC. Individual MNO profiles hold the information for accessing corresponding wireless carrier networks. The information provided by an MNO profile may include an integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID), an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) number, security authentication information that enables the eUICC to authenticate with the MNO's wireless carrier network, as well as other information.